The Point of Worship: Mark 11:15-19
God’s followers proclaim God’s truth and rely upon His provision as we go about His will. God sets the agenda; we proclaim His truth. As He increases His Spirit in us, we become the conduits encouraging others to draw close to God so His Spirit can increase in them. We become less; He becomes more.
When Jesus clears the temple and quotes scripture twice in the verses for today, there is a clear message. The Temple is for people coming into relationship with God. The place of worship isn’t about us, it isn’t about our desires, and it certainly isn’t about increasing our influence or our affluence. Worship is for relationship with God.
When Jesus clears the temple, He is doing so much more than making a statement about greed. The first quote from Jesus derives from Isaiah 56:7, which comes from a greater chapter declaring how the Hebrew people would invite all nations to come and worship God with them. Places of worship aren’t meant to gather similar people. It isn’t a time to gather like-minded people for the purpose of pooling their resources and creating something they want. Worship is about allowing anyone and everyone to come and experience relationship with God.
The second quote from Jesus originates in Jeremiah 7:11, which comes from a chapter focusing on the lies told by the religious leaders as they proclaimed God’s prosperity despite their disobedience. The Hebrew people in Jeremiah’s day were not following God’s ways, therefore God was bringing the Babylonian army against them in judgment. Yet, the religious elite were telling the people the opposite, that God would not let them fall into exile. Instead of proclaiming truth and calling the people into repentance, the religious elite were using God to tell the people what they wanted to hear.
Putting this all together gives a full picture of Jesus’ actions in the temple. The religious elite found ways to allow anyone into the temple, but they had done so to profit from the experience. The Temple in Jerusalem should have focused on helping people with their relationship with God, but instead it became a means for the religious elite to become more affluent and influential. Rather the being a place for relationship with our Creator, the temple became a means for creating a more comfortable life in a worldly sense for the religious elite.
Jesus doesn’t have an issue with people making money. He knows we all have needs to be met and money is the often means to making it happen. It is a worldly exchange. God’s judgment comes when spiritual people, who should be leading other people into greater spiritual depth, are instead seeking worldly gain. God is not a tool for us to wield as we see fit to serve our own purposes. God’s followers proclaim God’s truth and rely upon His provision as we go about His will.
